About Jo-Ann Expertise I can answer most questions on French-Canadian culture, geography, history, language, style, Quebec-Canada relations, aboriginal issues.
Experience Born and raised bi-lingual and bi-cultural in Quebec. Have also lived in Franco-Ontarian communities.
Several years experience in the tourism industry before becoming a teacher.
Education Credentials: B.A. in French language & literature (McGill University, Montreal,1992), Dip. Ed. (McGill, 1995), Currently working on M.A.degree in History
Awards and Honors:Jean Launay Translation Award (McGill University, 1992)
I'm from the US and I'm doing a cultural diversity project on French Canadians. I'm having difficulty finding what I need to research. What value and priority do French Canadians place on health (oral health even), illness, and death?
Thanks for your help!
Answer Bonjour, Maureen,
I'm not sure I understand your question, but I'll answer it to the best of my ability based on my own experience.
French Canadians (and Canadians in general) value health and health care very highly. We have high quality universal health care (Medicare) which we subsidize through our federal and provincial taxes. Because of that ready access to all manners of preventive, curative, and even palliative care, I think we are a generally healthy population. That is, we are committed to maintaining good health, rather than only seeking treatment when we are ill. Add to that the fact that we value healthy eating habits (over fast food and junk food, called "malbouffe" in French), and enjoy outdoors activities, and it creates a generally healthy culture.
As for dental health... we're improving. For years and years, though, dental care was not a priority. One of the obstacles to good dental health was access to affordable treatment. Dental treatment was expensive, and not all towns and villages had a dentist. Our traditional love of sweets did not help either. Nowadays, dental care generally covered under employer supplemental health benefit plans.
I'm really not sure what you mean by what value and priority we place on illness and death. They're not among our favourite things, evidently. Nonetheless, they are an inescapable aspect of life. As far as illnesses are concerned, we all recongnize the value of prompt, high-quality care. Where an illness is concerned terminal, patients and families receive compassionate palliative care and counselling.
Like many other modern cultures, we have distanced ourselves from the experiences of aging, illness, and death. In the not so distant past the ill and aged were cared for in the home. This is no longer the case, due mainly to the access and availability of medical care. A good proportion of the elderly remain independent and able to care for themselves. For those who cannot care for themselves, traditionally family members will help. If a aged parent requires constant care or supervision, however, there exist private and publicly funded social services that includes lower cost housing for retirees, in-home assistance, and nursing homes. The wait for public nursing home care can be lengthy (up to a year), and is generally based on severity of need.
